Receptacle



H. E. KASER Nov. 10, 1942.

RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. 1, 1939 Sheets-Sheet l A rromvfys Nov. 10, 1942.KASER 2,301,182

RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVE'NI'OI? z {M ATTOR/YEKS Patented Nov. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLEHerbert E. Kaser, Clarence, N. Y., assignor to Raymond Schutz, Buffalo,N. Y.

Application December 1, 1939, Serial No. 307,135

4 Claims.

such as leather.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a case equipped withso-called zipper or analogous fastening means comprising opposed seriesof cooperating talons, fingers or elements which are interengaged orinterlocked with one another, as by an operating slide, for securing therelatively movable parts or sections of the case in closed position,said sections of the case being preferably constructed with flexiblerims, lips or edges which carry and are joined by the fastening meansbut are braced so as to prevent the collapsing of these portions of thecase; also to provide a case of desirable construction and attractiveappearance which, while having flexible or non-rigid walls, willnevertheless retain its shape and be prevented from collapsing or tibleto injury.

Further objects and advantages of the invention .will appear from thefollowing specification of the preferred embodiment of the invention,shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of theinvention are set forth in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an inside plan view of an opened case embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the case, closed.

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the form on which the caseis built up, respectively showing successive steps of the method ofmaking the case.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections, on an enlarged scale, on the planes of lines55, Fig. ,3, and 6-6, Fig. 4, respectively.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View illustrating the next step in the method ofmaking the ,case.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section, enlarged, on the plane of line 8-8, Fig.7.

Fig. 9 is a transverse, sectional elevation showing the case removedfrom the form and its parts stitched together.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary transverse section of the finishedcase.

Fig. 11 is a sectional plan View on theplane together.

of line HH, Fig. 10, with parts broken away to show the internalconstruction.

In its preferred form, the case comprises opposite or top and bottomsections or walls 10 and H provided with peripheral walls or rims whichare hinged or movably connected at one part of the periphery of the caseto enable the opening and closing of the case, and are equipped withfastening elements for connecting other peripheral portions of the casefor releasably retaining the case sections in closed position.

The opposite walls Ill and I l are preferably made of more or lessflexible or pliable leather or analogous sheet material which is ofattractive and desirable .external surface appearance and feel, saidwalls being adapted to flex or yield in handling the case, and the casemay be ,of the generally elliptical or elongated form .With rounded endsshown, or of other shape. The peripheral walls of the case, which may besub,- stantially perpendicular to the walls [0 and ,H preferably areformed by two opposing flexible talonstrips I72 and [3, each on one casesection, which-carry the talons or elements of the fastening means whichinterlock or cooperate with each other for securing the sections .of the.case

As shown, each of the opposing flexible strips is provided with a seriesof projecting fingers Land the fingers on one strip are adapt.- ed tobe. interlocked with .the cooperating fingers on the opposing strip by aslide or fingerengaging device l5, suchas employed in fasten.- ers ofthe type popularlyknown as zipper fasteners. This invention is notconcerned with the particular construction or formation of theinterdigitating fingers or cooperating elements of the fastener; or ofthe fastener operating slide or device 15, and these parts may be of anyknown or suitable construction for the purpose, but the strips I12 andi3 carrying the fastener elements are ,of suitable character to adaptthem to flex, as required, for engaging and disengaging the fastenerelements for closing and opening the case. These fastener stripsconstitute, in

effect, flexible rims or lips on the margins or edge portions of thecase sections.

In order to support or brace these flexible rims or lips carrying thefastener elements =so as to prevent the collapse :of the periphery ofthe case or the portion or portions thereof connected by the fastenerelements and hold the opposite walls It! and I l of the case in theintended spaced relation, each section of the case is provided with acollar or flan e [6, which is disposed inside of and preferably incontact with the inner face of the fastening rim or lip of that sectionof the case. These flanges I6 may be attached to the lip strips back orinwardly from their free edges or from the fastener elements so that thefree edge portions of the lips I2 and I3 which carry the fastenerelements, are movable relatively to the supporting flanges to permit theengagement and disengagement of the fastener elements. Preferably, theouter edges of the supporting flanges are so disposed that when thecooperating fastener elements are connected with each other, said edgesof the flanges I6 will abut and the connected lips I2 and I3 will retainthe supporting flanges thus in edge-abutting relation so that theabutting flanges will form a relatively rigid rim or periphery for thecase. These flanges can be made of more or less flexible but relativelystiff sheet materials, such as fiberboard, Celluloid or the like, whichis light and more or less flexible laterally but relatively stiff in thedirection of width of the flanges, and these flange pieces may havesurface coverings or finishes desirable for the interior finish of thecase.

The case can be economically and expeditiously made by the followingmethod:

Two strips, which form the supporting flanges I6, are placed edge toedge around the periphery of a form 20, Figs. 3-8, the circumference ofwhich is equal in length to the internal peripheral surface of thecompleted case, and which form may be of substantially the same shapeand size as the interior of the case to be produced. The ends of the twoflange strips are fastened together about the form as by suitablyskiving the ends and cementing them together, as indicated in Fig. 3.Then, the strips I2 and I3 which carry the fastening elements and whichform the external peripheral wall of the case are placed around the formoutside of the flange strips, and their ends are connected to each other(see Fig. 4), preferably by a piece 2I, of thin leather or othersuitable sheet material which is to form the hinge or part for movablyconnecting the two sections of the case. This hinge piece is secured, asby cementing, to the ends of the fastener strips I2 and I3 and to theunderlying portions of the flange strips I 6. Then the opposite wallsI!) and II of the case, which may have been previously formed bypressing or other suitable shaping process to provide the same withperipheral flanges 22, are placed over opposite sides of the form withthe flanges of these walls overlapping the outer edges of the fastenerstrips I2 and I3, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and are secured thereto, asby cementing. .The fastener is then operated to unfasten or open theopposite sections of the case, and the case as thus far completed isremoved from the form.

After removing the case, its several parts are preferably permanentlysecured together by lines of stitching 23 extending along the edges ofthe flanges 22 of walls I and II, the stitching passing through theseflanges, the fastener strips I2 and I3 and the supporting flanges I5,and permanently securing these parts together. The stitching may beperformed by any suitable stitching machine. The stitching whichattaches the supporting flange I6 and the fastener strip I2 or I3 ofeach case section is located somewhat back from or inwardly from theline of fastener elements, so as to leave the free edges of the opposingfastener lips free for movement relatively to the supporting flanges toenable the 7 connection and disconnection of the fastener elements.

After the several parts of the case have thus been secured together, adisk 25 of suitable, relatively thin, stifi sheet material, such ascardboard, fiberboard or the like is preferably placed in each sectionof the case with the edges of the disk inserted and retained between theinner edge of the supporting flange I 6 and the Wall I i! or II of thatcase section. This disk has a circumference substantially equal to theexternal circumferential size of the peripheral wall of the case or tothe internal circumferential size of the flange 22 of the wall I i] orII of the case section, so that the disk will be retained in placebetween the Wall ID or II and the inner edge of the supporting flange I6of the case section. These disks serve to back or reinforce the walls I8and II of the case and retain the intended top and bottom shape of thecase, but they are not sufficiently rigid to prevent some flexure of theleather walls I0 or II of the case. The disks 25 may have a surfacefinish or covering that provides a desired interior finish for the case,or if desired the case can be lined or finished interiorly in anydesired Way, for instance, by cementing padded or un-' padded liningpieces 23 of velvet, silk, leather or other material in the case on thereinforcing disks of the two case sections, these finishing insertsbeing preferably made to fit the internal dimensions of the top andbottom sections to produce a neat, attractive appearance. It is alsousual to cover the edges of the rims of the case sections interiorly atthe hinged side thereof by a finishing piece 21, Fig. 1, which may becemented or secured between the reinforcing disks and lining inserts 26.This strip may be of the same material as the lining inserts or of anyother desired material.

I claim as my invention:

1. A receptacle comprising sections providing opposite relativelyflexible walls and peripheral walls projecting towards each other fromsaid opposite walls, and hingedly connected at one side of thereceptacle for opening and closing the receptacle, said peripheral wallsbeing formed in part by flexible slide-fastener strips projectingtowards each other from the marginal portions of said opposite wallsapproximately perpendicularly to the walls, fingers on the adjacentouter edges of said fastener strips which are interengageable forreleasably fastening said strips together to hold the receptacle closed,and relatively stiff inflexible rim flange strips on said sectionsarranged against and attached to said flexible fastener strips face toface therewith to brace said fastener strips, said flange strips beingof approximately straight non-angular cross sectional shape throughouttheir width and projecting approximately perpendicularly from saidopposed walls and arranged to abut edge to edge for holding said opposedwalls spaced apart and supporting the said fastener strips and the rimportions of the receptacle against collapsing, the outer edge portionsof said talon strips being left free to flex for engaging anddisengaging said fingers.

2. A receptacle constructed as set forth in claim 1 and having a thinreinforcing disk for the flexible wall of each section arranged at theinner side of the flexible wall with its margin extending and retainedbetween the flexible wall and the inner edge of said rim flange strip.

3. A receptacle formed of two generally similar sections disposed faceto face and together forming a complete enclosure, each of said sectionshaving a relatively flexible wall of substantial area and aseparate-piece, relatively stiff, inflexible flange along substantiallythe entire marginal edge of said well, connected thereto and extendingnormal thereto toward the other of said section-s, each flange being ofapproximately straight non-angular cross sectional shape throughout itswidth, said flanges abutting edge to edge when the sections are face toface to form said closure and limiting the approach of said sections,means hingedly connecting adjacent portions of said abutting flangesalong one side of said enclosure, flexible slide-fastener stripsdisposed flat against and extending along said flanges approximatelyfrom one end of said connecting means to the other end thereof, andhaving fingers along their abutting edges and releasably interlockingwith one another, said fastener strips being secured to said flanges ashort distance spaced from the abutting edges of said flanges andleaving free to flex the finger-carrying edges of said strips, wherebysaid connecting means and interlocked fingers maintain said sectionsface to face with the edges of said flanges abutting each other.

4. A receptacle formed of two generally similar sections disposed faceto face and together forming a complete enclosure, each of said sectionshaving a Wall of substantial area and a relatively stiff, inflexibleflange along substantially the entire marginal edge of said wall,connected thereto and extending normal thereto toward the other of saidsections, each flange being of approximately straight non-angular crosssectional shape throughout its width, said flanges abutting edge to edgewhen the sections are face to face to form said enclosure and limitingthe approach of said sections, a piece of flexible material hingedlyconnecting said abutting flanges along one side of said enclosure,flexible slidefastener strips disposed flat against and extending alongsaid flanges at least approximately from one end of said flexiblehinge-piece to the other end thereof and having fingers along theirabutting edges and releasably interlocking with one another, saidfastener strips being secured to said flanges a short distance spacedfrom the abutting edges of said flanges and leaving free to flex thefinger-carrying edges of said strips, whereby said connecting means andinterlocked fingers maintain said sections face to face with the edgesof said flanges abutting each other.

HERBERT E. KASER.

